July 28, 2010 - May, June, Blink and now it's almost August
Honestly folks I am wondering what happened to July? Did it even happen? Ok yes, yes I know it happened but this little guy has been busy working. Yeah that's right they put me to work, and with all the visitors coming to the park this summer they needed me. Let's see what happened in July?? Hmmm...I attend two 4th of July parades - one in Watford City and one in Medora...and just so you know I was the star on both the South Unit's and the North Unit's Float. I mean how could I not be, I am the biggest thing in these parts since Lawerence Welk or Phil Jackson. I like to think I am a bigger deal than Theodore Roosevelt even! Ok, ok, yeah I can feel my head swelling and maybe I am not that big but a Pdog can dream can't he! Enough about all that...back to what I did in July. I attended another Teddy Bear picnic and hung with Sheriff Bear from the Medora Musica1. I spent the rest of the month helping stock bookshelves, order new sales items(there are some great ones!) and finally I got around to writing this journal to update you on my crazy schedule. Next month I plan to relax, relax, and relax before I have to start building up my winter supplies!

June 21, 2010 - Park Ranger on Patrol!
You have probably noticed all of the people roaming around Theodore Roosevelt National Park in Ranger Uniforms but have you ever wondered what they actually do.  I mean really I see them every day and I don’t have a clue what they do.  So I have decided to make it my mission to discover what these “Rangers” are actually doing.   A couple of days ago I pinned on my badge and put on my hat and went looking for someone to show me the way.  I had only travelled a few feet when I came face to face with the big black tire of Law Enforcement Ranger Brian’s truck.  After much begging and agreeing to let him handcuff me just once I convinced him to take me for a ride.  So he lifted me into his truck and helped me strap myself in between his guns and off we went.   We patrolled the road in the South Unit for speeding cars and people being unsafe and then we travelled to Painted Canyon to do the same.  As we drove I waited and waited and waited…… and waited for some action. Then it happened a speeding car, I knew it the minute I saw it on the screen so I braced myself for the excitement.  What I wasn’t braced for was the noise – he turned those lights and sirens and they were so loud I had to pull my hat down low to cover my ears.  As he spoke to the visitor and explained that speeding was unsafe not only for them but also for the animals that live in our park, I realized just how important of a job Ranger Brian had and I have to say I am very proud to call the Law Enforcement Officers in our Park my friends. 

June 9, 2010 - There's a Bear over There!
I’ve seen a lot of animals in my life but never before had I met (or wanted to meet) a bear!  One day I was told to grab my teddy bear and head in to the visitor center for a special Teddy Bear picnic.  Now when they say “Teddy Bear” I assume they mean little stuffed toys. So there I was enjoying the sunny day and learning with the kids about how the Teddy Bear got his name when out of nowhere a bear comes walking out of the building. Now I have heard stories about bears, have pictured what they would look like, and how big they might be but I am telling you this thing was ENORMOUS, HUGE, GIGANITIC (ok you get the point).  So as he walked closer and closer, I start to think about everything I know about bears-Bears have sharp teeth, bears have sharp claws, Bears a BIG, Bears eat meat……. Wait hold the phone- BEARS EAT MEAT, I AM MEAT, this is so not good! As he walks closer and closer I find myself shaking and looking for a place to hide. By the time he reaches us I am hiding behind the pant leg of a little girl with my eyes shut so tight I think they might actually get stuck that way and I’m thinking please don’t eat me!  Then I start to hear people talking and introducing the bear as Smokey, so I slowly open my eyes (fully expecting to see a drooling hungry animal) and there he is Smokey Bear giving “bear hugs” to little kids.  At that moment I knew Smokey had to be a good guy because the kids were excited and rushing to him like he was a celebrity.  Later I learned that he is kind of a celebrity as he encourages people to prevent forest fires. So to make a long story short I met and gave this great bear named Smokey a “bear hug”. New  Favorite Celebrity Smokey Bear , Phil ain’t got nothing on him!

June 6, 2010 - For the Birds!
He rocks in the park all day long
Diggin and playin and singing his song
All the little birdies in the Campground
Love to see Pete run around!
Ok yes, yes I stole the tune and just changed the lyrics but I do believe it could be a hit.  But you must be asking yourself one of two questions: Either A. Why is Pete in the Campground playing with birds? or B. Has Pete lost his marbles? And my answer to you is possibly a little of both. I had a great time in the Campground at the 56th Annual Birdwalk watching birds and learning how to make a Chuckwagon Breakfast.  Unfortunately for me they refused to throw some grass on the grill and toast it up for me. Part of the reason I could be losing my marbles because the pancake, sausage, and cowboy coffee actually smelled good (we Prairie Dogs don’t eat that stuff). However when all was said and done the people there had an awesome time and filled their tummies with some a great breakfast.  I may not have filled my belly at the picnic but I did go home and spent a lazy day munching grass in the warm sun!

May 28, 2010 - Poet and didn't even know it!
Hey all my loyal fans I know it's been a while but I have been one busy little Prairie Dog and so I am going to keep this short!

People here,
People there,
People Everywhere!
All these people can only mean,
the weather is warm and the grass is green!
Winter was rough with the ground covered in snow,
but it’s warm now and look at this hungry Prairie Dog mow!

April 25, 2010 - I'm a Ranger!
It is official I am a Park Ranger! Yeah, that’s right Peter P. Dog is a Park Ranger before you know it I will be running this place! I used to want to be a weatherman but now I am thinking I may want to be a National Park Superintendent.  People tend to think that we are overpopulated here at the park(by the way we are not in fact we only take up about 1500 of the 70,000 acres!)if I was Superintendent these people would be seeing Earthlodges Prairie Dog style!! Ok, ok maybe not but a prairie dog can dream can’t he.  Anyway so I have gotten WAY off subject and need to go back to what I was going to tell you.  So last weekend was a great one for this little guy as I got to spend the days with two of my favorite Rangers Melissa and Mary Beth!
     It all started out Friday morning when I made the long trip the North Unit where I jumped in the car with Ranger Melissa and headed to Killdeer to teach a group of second graders about beavers.  Come to find out Melissa is pretty smart about those flat tailed, tree chomping creatures and after her talk the kids and I are much smarter.  I tried to get Melissa to stick around so I could go play at recess with the kids but she said we had to get back to work. (Guess that’s what happens when you become a “Real” Ranger.) Yes like I said before I am officially a Ranger – well a Junior Ranger at least.  My new favorite holiday happened on Saturday and it’s called Junior Ranger Day!  My day Saturday started out with Melissa and I exploring the Juniper Campground with some great Junior Rangers and learning all about animals and the tracks they leave. It was great I got to run around the campground searching for signs of life. When we were finished we said the Junior Ranger Pledge and received official Junior Ranger Badges.  My day in the North Unit was cut a little short because I needed to get to the South Unit and help my friend Ranger Mary Beth out with Junior Ranger events so as soon as we were finished pledging I high tailed it for the South Unit.(yes prairie dogs do have cute little tails). When I arrived in Medora I think Mary Beth was excited to see me because she had a large group of kids ready to become Junior Rangers! Shortly after my arrival we went to work searching Cottonwood campgrounds for tracks, scat, and signs of life.  I was a huge Bison track which really impressed the Junior Rangers but honestly I have saw larger ones by my home on Johnson’s Plateau.  Mary Beth led us on a hike through the campground and down by the river in search of wildlife. Once we finished our hike we returned to the Picnic Shelter to say the Junior Ranger Pledge and get our badges. I didn’t need a badge because I already had my Official Ranger Badge. Ok you're right I am not an official Ranger just a Junior Ranger but a guy can dream can’t he? Anyway all the running around in the campgrounds and helping teach kids about “Who Pooped in the Park?”  has really pooped out this Prairie Dog and I am ready for a long nap. So this is Peter P. Dog saying good night and sweet dreamzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

March 26, 2010 - Packing Up and Moving Out
Today was a really busy day as I had the joy of packing up and moving merchandise to the Painted Canyon Visitor Center which opens April 1st. Myself and my fellow TRNHA employees spent a day packing up boxes and loading them into a horse trailer to move from the Medora Visitor Center to Painted Canyon. I had the opportunity to take a ride in the trailer, which gave me a chance to see what it was like to be one of the many horses who ride by my home smiling on the way to ride through the park. They always seem so happy and comfortable in those things but let me tell you a trailer ride is no smooth ride. A trailer ride is bumpy, uncomfortable, LOUD, and all around not great. Leading me to ask myself, why do the horses always look so darn happy? To me the most obvious reason is they are just not that smart. I mean honestly who can be happy riding in the back of that thing and then being taken out and having someone sit on your back with a rope around your neck, not this guy! However I am going to think positive about my horse friends and say they just love adventure and are excited to be traveling to a new place. Based on the signs around Painted Canyon about picking up your horse droppings I am going to guess that a lot of people bring their horses here to take a ride. I kinda wish someone would bring me to this place on a regular basis as it has an awesome sight and the canyon always seems to be filled with life. I am just glad no big, scary bison were around today, but signs of their recent visits were everywhere. I think I would like to come visit again when we open for business and maybe I will even try to run the cash register!!!

March 15, 2010 - I think I need to wash my hands!
Daylight Savings Time are you serious what the heck are you saving me from besides a good hour of sleep! Ok, that's not the real story here but it did make for a rough start to a long day of hard work. I woke up bright and early(an hour earlier than normal) Monday morning and grabbed my hat and mittens and headed out the door on a great adventure. Park staff took me on a drive to the North Unit(caught some zzzz in the back window of the car) to help do some sandbagging to prepare for what could be high river waters in the next few weeks. Upon arriving in the North Unit we went right to work filling bags and placing them around the camptender house which had been remodeled after last years flood. But shortly after we had started working I realized that my hat and mittens were a little too warm for the hot sun. So I took them off and did what any Prairie Dog would do and laid down on a pile of sandbags to soak up some sun and dream about the green buffalo grass. You can imagine the panic I felt when I woke up to my bed moving. I sprang to my feet, I looked to my left - water, I looked to my right - water, I knew it this was the end and I was floating down the river. How could my friends at the park let this happen? How could the water have rose so fast? Why did I ever leave my South Unit home? As you have probably guessed at this point I was scared but then I heard a strange noise. Slowly, very slowly I turn around and would you believe my sandbag is on a pallet being carried by a bobcat. Guess that's what I get for taking a nap, maybe next time I should just keep working and won't be awoken so rudely!

March 11, 2010 - Popcorn and a Silent Movie
I had the honor of being a special guest at Medora's Hometown Community event last night and dove deep into an A-MAZING bag of popcorn. At first I wasn't so sure about that stuff but once I got a whiff I couldn't help myself, so I filled a bag and headed into the theater with my new found friends. Upon being seated I could not hold back my enthusiasm to watch a movie, but then I learned that Through the Roosevelt Country was really a 90 year old silent film . My excitement to watch it quickly faded, I mean honestly who watches an action movie with no sound. But in true Pete fashion I just sat back quietly munched my popcorn and braced myself for a few minutes of quiet time. To my complete surprise I enjoyed the movie thoroughly. The footage of Theodore Roosevelt's ND ranches and of Medora was actually pretty cool and I enjoyed watching it (even if it was quiet, they could have at least played some Johnny Cash or something in the background) My favorite part was when they slowed it down and local people identified exactly where they were filming and what is there today. However I must say I was truly disappointed in the fact the area that is now my home was not included in the movie, guess I will have to film my home for future generations!

February 19, 2010 - A Week at Knife River Indian Village NHS
Wow, what a crazy week I just had, on the 10th I got packed into a box (with breathing holes of course) and took a ride in the mail truck to Stanton, North Dakota. Upon arriving the nice Park Rangers at Knife River Indian Village NHS suited me up with a very nice sweater to help me stay warm during our Winter Adventure. On the morning of the 13th I woke up early and helped park staff prepare for a fun filled day of outdoor adventures. After everyone had filled their bellies it was time for some fun first we made crafts and learned all about the local Native Americans. We then got all dressed up in our warm clothes and snow shoes preparing for a great adventure, but when the doors open and that COLD North Dakota wind hit my nose I high (black) tailed it back inside! No adventure for me, bring on the sun! While the crew was out exploring the ice cold outdoors I found a nice desk to curl up under to take a nap, and would you believe I slept right through the Earthlodge dinner but to be perfectly honest the meal didn't sound that great considering they didn't have any fresh buffalo grass(just buffalo meat ick!) Anyway after a long weekend I decided to hang out a little longer and explore the area. I went in the earthlodge and I could not believe my eyes it was like a Prairie Dog Mansion, like the White House or something. Let me tell you if that thing was near my friends and family I would be in Heaven! Hmmmm...maybe I should try to dig one near my home on the Plateau.

February 2, 2010 - Groundhog Day - Pete's First Journal Entry

Happy Prairie Dog Day!! Fine, fine your right it's Groundhog Day, but if you people would just come visit me instead of that Phil guy on February 2nd we could make it Prairie Dog Day. Anyway in honor of whatever day you want to call it I have decided to give my dream of being a weatherman a try. I decided that today on this brisk North Dakota winter day I was going to give Phil a run for his money and make my own prediction. You can see from my beautiful picture that of course I saw my shadow! So my prediction is this: "February – get out your Foot warmers; March – Mittens still a Must; April – Almost time to put the sweaters Away and Always be prepared for that late spring snow storm!” In other words I may have to wait a while for my favorite treat of sweet green buffalo grass. Hmmmm....maybe I don't like this weather thing.

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